I'd told Midori-san the truth, but...

"So that's how it was. You've been through a lot too, Miki. I understand the situation perfectly now. Just leave everything to me. This is friendship between girls!"

"Midori-san... leave it to you? Just what exactly?"

"Ufufu. Well then, let's go to Miki's room and discuss various plans♪"

Midori-san had an incredibly delighted look on her face.

"Huh? But I'm a guy!"

"Oh? But you're a proper girl right now."

"Mmm... but still..."

"Don't worry about it, don't worry about it."

"Isn't it you who should be worrying, Midori-san?"

"Oh, why's that?"

"What if I were to assault you or something?"

"No problem. A girl wouldn't assault another girl. Now, hurry, let's go!"

For some reason, Midori-san was raring to go. No sooner had we entered my room and sat down than her eyes began sparkling even brighter.

"Well then, shall we promptly draw up a special training menu to make you girly?"

"Ah... no, I-I'm fine, really. I don't need to become that girly!"

"Oh, that won't do."

"But... so decisive... Still, why?"

"There's no particular reason. It just seems like fun."

Hey, hey. So that's it after all! Just as long as it's fun for you, huh?

"Let's see. First, your way of speaking! Next, your grooming. Then your poise and bearing~ And after that, you'll also need esthetics!"

"Ugh... all of that? Give me a break. Oh, that's right—I already got special training from my mom over winter break! I'm fine now. Yeah!"

Glare.

For a second, Midori-san shot me a fearsome look.

Gulp.

"Wait just a minute!"

Bang.

With that, Midori-san suddenly slammed her hand on the table.

For an instant, the terror from that time in elementary school when the girls ganged up on me flashed through my mind.

Startle.

"Wh-what?"

"That's no good at all! Eventually everyone will figure you out, and that would be a problem, wouldn't it?"

"Urgh... w-well..."

"You, Miki, are going to aim to be the perfect girl! The ultimate one at that!"

No, "ultimate" is definitely off there, wait a sec.

"No way..."

"The training period will be three months. During that time, let's have a training camp at my house!"

"Ehhhhhh—?!"

"Oh my, Miki. You don't have to be that happy about it."

"Ah... ah..."

"Right, then we'll start from tomorrow. Ufufu, I'm so looking forward to it."

I tried to say something, but once again my mouth just flapped open and shut without producing sound.

"Oh my, it's already eleven. Well, shall we sleep for tonight? Tomorrow, Takase-san will come here to pick us up, so it's fine to wake up later than usual."

"Ehh?! They're coming to pick us up all the way here?"

"Naturally. He's our family chauffeur, after all."

Well, I am happy they'd come get us, but... the neighborhood gossips' eyes are scary. And won't a Rolls-Royce stand out too much and give me away first?

And so, lacking the courage to refuse Midori-san's proposal, I ended up having to undergo special training at the Kanzaki residence starting the next day.

* * *

Returning from school: first, a bath ^^; right after, a one-hour esthetics course.

Monday after that: tea ceremony. Tuesday: ballroom dance. Wednesday: flower arrangement. Thursday: kimono dressing class. Friday: cooking. Saturday: English conversation, for some reason. Sunday: various outings accompanying Midori-san. Plus jazz dance, singing lessons, etc.

I was honestly stunned that professional staff were arranged for all these lessons. After all, Midori-san's house is super rich.

And so, three months flew by in the blink of an eye.

"Look, Miki. Here's the photo from three months ago. And this one was taken yesterday. So!"

"Wow~! What a huge difference. It's really like one of those before-and-after photos." ← Miki

Yes, the two girls reflected there were beauties so radiant they'd put showbiz idols to shame.

A hairstyle or makeup can change so much, and what you wear or how you carry yourself makes you look astonishingly different, I guess. On top of that, all the blood-sweatingly hard training... There's no way it wouldn't show results!

"Midori, thank you. I feel like I can somehow manage living as a girl now."

"Yeah. Your way of speaking has gotten much more girlish, too. Another half a year and you'll be perfect♪"

"Wha—another half a year! Then that's not what we agreed!"

"Agreed? We never made such an agreement. The training period was three months, but from here on, in pursuit of becoming an even more perfect woman, we'll continue to polish you."

"Ugh..." Thud. ← The sound of fainting.